LYRICS

07/31/2014

SO. Now that I've officially forgotten everything, and now that no one actually cares anymore, it's time to enthusiastically continue to the final part of this weekend, the actual Glastonbury Festival Show. So I left off when Federico was wiping blood off my cds before i'd sign them. I'm all about the team work.

Ok what next. We sadly had to miss Deacon Blue's show, which really sucks, but we needed to drive the many hours back to Glastonbury immediately, in order to get a few hours of beauty sleep. Karl had mentioned before he would drive us back, so as soon as I got done at merch, I thought it was a good time for me to quickly start making my way through our bucket of artist alcohol. However, Karl then asked if i could drive for the first 45 minutes because he wanted to watch the end of the world cup game on his phone. Fair enough! Sadly for Karl, I was drinking from the wine bottle when he came in with this request. This means, Karl had to drive us home, while i, had to watch the game on my phone, and give him a PLAY BY PLAY. As someone who is only in it for Tim Howard, this consisted of me saying things like "ok, columbia wait no uruguay has the ball. ok now columbia has the ball. ok someone almost scored." Let me explain that Karl is a world cup fanatic. Like--- he told me this, months and months ago during our first phone call, when we were deciding what time/week/day to have our rehearsal. So i'm sure my drunk play-by-play wasn't the best slash was the worst experience ever for Karl. "Ok goal. There's been a goal. And the other team looks upset. Oh god the other team looks so upset."

We got home at almost 3AM. Karl slept downstairs. Ryan slept in the single bed in the guest room, that i'd say, would be similar to sleeping on TOP of a coffin. Gerold and I shared my bed. I was so happy to have a full house!! I AM SO ALONE IN GLASTONBURY BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS. Ok morning comes, and it's time to drive back to Glastonbury festival, and Gerold Ryan and I are so fucking scared because the first time was so traumatic. But Karl, our hero Karl, said he would handle it. And HE WAS RIGHT. Somehow with Karl at the wheel, we got led to a miraculous private parking lot where we gave our names and then WAITED TO GET A RIDE TO OUR STAGE. This is Karl while we waited for our ride, probably at this wits end with the 3 overwhelming crazies that he had just spent over 24 hours glued to.

"Guys maybe no more diarrhea jokes" - us brainstorming in the car, on how to make Karl love us again.

This is us getting a ride. Luxury. I think that Ryan is worrying about Karl in this picture. Ok so what then.

Here is our dressing room.and guess what, I did not add the heart, and you bet your ass I made us all take look around to make sure no one else had one!!!!!!!!! WHO MADE THE SIGNS??? WHOEVER YOU ARE I LOVE YOU BACK. DO YOU LIVE IN GLASTO? I DO.

Ok so we were in our dressing room, and the panic started sinking in. I don't completely remember what happened before we played. I remember the pops and karl really being there for me, emotionally, and lots and lots of hugs.

Ryan also took this picture of my back stage items. Lashes and things that will control my allergy symptoms.

Thankfully for me and everyone involved, I didn't bring the one item that ACTUALLY helped with my allergies, which is this nasal injection thing. No, not a spray. It's creamy, and it looks like you're spraying semen in your nostrils. We called it my semen spray. I just tried to PICK one of the many Glasto pictures that you can see the S.S. in my nose, but I got scared that it would show up in my google images with no context, so no thanks. I do, whether you agree or not, have boundaries. (Do you guys remember when I posted a picture of my pee on a sidewalk because Ryan made me laugh so hard and I peed on a sidewalk? And then my so called friends and lovers made me take it down.)

Ok. Paul, my manager arrived at this point, remained calm as usual, as he's used to me by now. I'm sure he is so happy to have me as an artist as i chug my preshow whiskey(s) and announce to everyone that I'm going to throw up. Poor Paul.

So then it was time for stage. I handed Paul my camera and asked him to take some pictures and video of my first time at Glastonbury. Here are some of his best snaps!

That's ok Paul, at least it's in our memories...

Ok, so the show went well. Voice felt good, i felt really inside the performance, and Karl and the Lollipops gave me cold chills during my own songs, because they are so good. Audience was wonderful. I talked too much, but what else is new. Of course I would change certain things (like my dress, why did no one tell me how short it was when i held my guitar) so many things I could self criticize but what's the point, it was fucking fun!!!!

So after the show, after the climax, everything the weekend, week, months had led up to, what do you do?? You get drunk, eat burritos, and then you eat ice cream, and then go see Dolly Parton.

drunk

burritos

ice cream

dolly (and also drunk)

After Dolly, we went home. And Karl took the boys to the train station. This is us on our way home. SUCH BLUES. (Karl, i know even you were secretly a little sad and masking it with interesting facial expressions.)

Anyways.That night I wept on my couch for two hours and then took the one ambien that Gerold smuggled for me.

This is the end of this 4 part ridiculousness. If you've made it this far, you are a true blue fan or friend, because my parents haven't even made it this far. I've barely made it this far.

Glastonbury weekend was amazing, but what I learned was, that no matter what you do, do it with the best people because otherwise nothing is worth it. I am so grateful for Ryan, Gerold, and Karl, because without them, there would definitely not have been as much laughter, support, thrills, gratitude, reward, etc. I can't really even talk about it without tearing up. I am so sick, that I cannot remove the wellies (americans- that means rainboots) that Ryan left behind because they have a hole in them. So they stand next to mine, in my small door way, as if i was a mom whose kids went to college and haven't yet been able to muster the courage to change their bedroom into a gym. I can't get rid of them, and don't want to. Why take away that small reminder that life is good when you're with people that you love. That's all. Part 4. and I am filled with gratitude, embarrassment, calories, and memories that make me laugh out loud by myself. Thank you guys for reading.

"How will I sing when you're gone? Cause it wont sound the same. Who'll join in on those harmony parts when I call your name?" - Dolly Parton in the song You Can't Make Old Friends with Kenny Rogers.

Ok I'm sobbing. Time to go. Thank you for reading.

Love,Galia

PS One of the best moments of cd signing was when a woman told us at Dalby Forest, that she was concerned that the Lollipops were wearing denim on denim on denim, and wanted us to reassess this choice. This was the one photograph that Paul took that you can discern eyes from mouth. G'job Paul.

07/25/2014

Sorry guys, i waited so long and now i don't actually remember anything that happened after my first two entries about Gbury. But let's give it a whirl.

So I left off when Karl took the wheel and I was vomiting in my mouth from fear and self loathing??? Yes I think so. Ok. So Karl is driving, and we get to Dalby forest, and let's just say it was opposite of our Glastonbury entrance. Everyone knew what they were doing. (perhaps bc they weren't drunk volunteers?? just a wild guess.) and we got let in and everyone was kind, and no one cared that we weren't there at our suggested time of 2 hours ago. (everyone except me, who was mute for a full hour.) We got on stage for sound check, and here's where I went full on dizzy. And I'm not talking "dizzy with excitement". I stared at Karl, who was sound checking his bells and whistles (that's what she said) and then I stared at the lollipops who were both flirting with the boys in the band that sound checked before us. And I just stood there, knowing. KNOWING that for some reason, this is how my stage fright was expressing itself this evening. I drank a half empty water bottle that was just sitting on the stage (gross, but i was so desperate) and looked out to the sound guys. Imagine this, but spinning.Ryan took this picture, i have no idea when. Ok then we went back stage in our little tent area. We were given A MEAL AND A BUCKET OF BEER AND ALCOHOL. Which, let me tell you, is the best, I-am-a-high-powered-musician feeling for a low powered musician. And i was sitting there, the world spinning, and wanting to cry, not enjoying any of it. I don't know when Ryan took this, but it's EXACTLY what that time period looks like .(Guys, terror & tears is a great name for a record.) Ok so we're all dwindling around thinking we have all the time in the world (not unlike our burger king experience a few hours ago) when i hear them start announcing the beginning of the show. We were not at the stage. Gerold was in the portapotty doing who knows what. Ryan was running towards me yelling that we were on. And that is when I ran like the wind. (a slow ungraceful wind) It was awful. But as i stood, grasping the stairs on the side of the stage, panting, about to go on, and extremely embarrassed that the entire crew has now seen me run, my dizziness disappeared just in time. The body is amazing. Show felt good. The air, the audience, Karl, the pops, everything was coming together. Release. During the show, my guitar strings started to get sticky and I remember thinking, why does it feel like my guitar strings have tree sap on them? But adrenalin is kicked in, so it's not really a concern, just more of an observation. So we get off stage, and as we are power walking to merch, I look down and here's what we see.

<----- Guys,I was playing so hard, that I bled. I've never felt so hard core!! (Except i know that if i had realized that the "tree sap" was blood, I would have literally passed out. So gross)

What grosses me out the most is the dot of splatter on the front of my hand. Blood was spattering!!! I'm gonna barf. So my favorite part is that when I was signing cds, the guy helping from the venue, Federico,was WIPING BLOOD OFF MY OOH LA BABIES.

Shout out to Federico who is 95% chance of not reading this blog, and if you are, you are so amazing. Thank you for everything. Ok now would be a great time to show you my bloody Takamine guitar after the gig. Have I mentioned how much I love my TAKAMINE guitars? And have I emphasized

how much blood my D'addario strings absorb? Jkidds about D'addario but wouldn't that be great if they did sponsor me and this is how I promoted them? WOULDN'T THAT BE GREAT, D'addario? Ok yes I've started drinking, which means I should probably end this blog entry now. Which means that "Glastonbury" actually has 4 parts. Is that embarrassing? Yes, it's been a month and I'm living vicariously through my month younger self.

:(

It is the next day now. After i finished this blog entry, the pops and I celebrated our month anniversary by google video thingy. I miss them so much.

07/16/2014

So. Where was I- I believe i left off when my black out ended, and Gerold was titty twisting a stranger? The below picture was taken shortly after, when we began to enjoy culinary delights that Glastonbury festival had to offer- something I had been genuinely looking forward to for weeks! And that is the least fat thing I'm going to say in this particular blog entry. Needless to say, this evening was somewhat of a blur, but I distinctly remember having a thoroughly enjoyable time eating these donuts. Also look at the weird expression I have on my face.

I remember visiting the "healing field", which was quiet and beautiful (though the pops and i were hoping to take part in a massage circle or something, which was no where to be found) and then i remember a hill where a bunch of people were inhaling balloons. ("guys i don't feel safe here"- galia arad, Nervous Nelly) and then I remember us talking to some guy who was telling us he felt old at festivals. He had facepaint on. AND WAS 18 YEARS OLD. So we stopped talking to him. Then we had a couple more dinners? I mostly remember that just as the party was REALLY getting started at Glastonbury, the Lollipops and i decided it was time for bed. We were tucked away in our sleeping bags by 12:30AM. Gerold passed out right away, and Ryan and I lay awake silently, petrifed.

One thing about the tent situation: It was a small 5 person tent, and basically had two areas (one on either side) for 2 people each, and a weird "living room" area in the middle that didn't cover all the ground (Or the boys pitched the tent incorrectly, but since I barely lifted a finger during the pitching process-- "you guys are doing great" -galia arad---- i kept this theory to myself.) So in short, the middle of the tent was not waterproof at all. Well for some reason, we decided it best to sleep lengthwise, so we could be side by side. Which also means that our torsos were on the section of the tent that was not meant for bodies, which also means I COULD TOUCH GRASS WITH MY HAND, while it stormed most of the night. I would wake up every so often, and look over to Ryan who would be wide awake, looking at me, terrified. This was night 1 of 2 that we were camping out. That morning, the three of us woke up at 7AM, and decided that 1 night of camping would be enough to still be able brag to people that we "experienced the festival".

Other note: the bathroom situation was.. Actually I can't really talk about it, but I still smell phantom smells two weeks later. Here is Ryan peeing.

Friday consisted of drinking Somerset cider and watching acts play the acoustic tent (our stage). When we went into the tent for the first act of the day, and the audience was in there, excited, ready for music, it was raining, and i was with my best friends, exactly where we were going to play two days later, I cried instantaneously of pure unadulterated joy. I can say that I felt true, true happiness at that moment.

We group hugged with a passion, and enjoyed the rest of the day. That evening, we tore down our tent (last ones to arrive, first to leave) and went back to my house to rehearse. I really cannot emphasize how happy we were to be home. There were lots of spontaneous cheers throughout the evening. ie OH GOD THANK GOD

Ok before I discuss Saturday, I have to go back a few weeks. I knew I wanted to work with a percussionist for Glasto. (oh just so you know the cool kids call it Glasto) I asked my wild amazing gal pal Lisa Grahame from the Jools Holland band (who i first bonded with over our obsession over the show 24) who she rec'd and she suggested I use a percussionist named Karl Van Den Bossche, who I met one week before Glasto.

Meet Karl Van Den Bossche

Meet Karl Van Den Bossche after being in the car for a million hours with Galia & The Lollipops.

On Saturday morning, Karl met the boys and I in Glastonbury, and we all had to immediately drive to Dalby Forest, which is at least 5 hours north, where we were doing support for Deacon Blue. This total of 11 hours in the car in oneday was his introduction to the crude, vulgar, hungry, and CONSTANTLY CHANTING trio that is Galia, Gerold, And Ryan. While rehearsing Galia Arad songs on loop "i LOVE this song!" - galia arad), we managed to squeeze in (on loop as well) a special ditty that the three of us had cowritten the night before, inspired by Burger King, to express to Karl our desires for that particular pit stop.

(claps)BK for BreakfastBK for LunchBK for DinnerBK for Brunch - Go get the car! Go get the car!We want a whopperWe want a whopperWe want a WHOP (hold) PUH! (hit)

Poor Karl. POOR KARL!!!!!! Looking back, I don't know how he dealt with us. He sat through this. Many times. Maybe he even joined in one time ? (if you can't beat it..) He was such a good sport. Also he didn't make me feel bad about my driving. And even though he battled my theories on English cows being happier than American cows (i don't eat USA fast food meat) he fully participated in our most anticipated and discussed activity of the day. Oh you thought I meant performing for 2000 people??? No I meant this.

Photography by Karl Van Den Bossce

After BK, we had an hour left to drive, AND SOMEHOW LESS THAN AN HOUR TILL WE HAD TO BE ON STAGE FOR SOUND CHECK. I felt sick with stress in the car. As the clock ticked forward, I would flash back to us, around the table at burger king, laughing and chatting away like it's sunday f*cking dinner!! Plus the photo shoot. WE HAD A SHOW TO GET TO AND WE WERE TOO BUSY ENJOYING OURSELVES AT THE LOCAL BURGER KING. it's still shocking to me today. To make matters worse, as I was reading the directions to Karl, I noticed a small detail in the Deacon Blue notes that suggested we be there between 3-3:30PM. It was 4:30PM when i read this. This is when Karl took the wheel. JESUS TAKE THE WHEEEEELLLL

07/07/2014

1st of all, to the 2 of you who were extremely curious as to the result of my last blog entry, whose question burned in the back of your brain at night.- "WHEN DID GALIA END UP GETTING HER PERIOD?" well, I got my period not a day early, not a day late. I got it the day we got arrived to the festival. Gerold said he's never thought about someone's period more than he's thought about mine this month. In short, we liked to call this past weekend, the Tampon Tour. But let me start at the beginning.

Part 1

I don't know how to explain this, but I live in the town of Glastonbury, like, even when the festival is not happening. This is a huge coincidence. I got the festival news, and then a couple weeks later, I got a job here and moved. I've felt very self conscious about this fact, as I feel like when i've told people this, it sounds like i'm playing the Glastonbury local's tent. (I don't think there's a locals tent. if there was, i should most def be playing it because i'm legit a resident. And not that there would be anything wrong with a local's tent. )

Ok. So Wednesday June 26th, I drove to Heathrow airport to pick up Ryan Hontz. This was a very happy night for me. Also this was my first major airport pick up. I am an adult. That night we drank hot whiskeys with ginger tea and jaggery powder (to bring on my period. what a fucking hack remedy)

Thursday, we picked up Gerold from the train station. Poor Gerold had to carry a huge backpack filled with my shoes from NYC and Ryan's enormous wellies. Also since Gerold was a boyscout, Ryan and I decided it best to not do any packing or work before Gerold was there to make each and every decision for us. So that's what was in store for Gerold after a 7 hour flight and two trains. We picked him up on the side of the road, then went to my apartment and started to pack. In order to deal with my anxiety for these types of things, i gain control by making lists and buying things. So one hour was spent going through my "festival box" pulling things out one by one that i had ordered, and Gerold saying yes we need or no we don't. (It was mostly no we don'ts.)

When we were finally packed, we drove to the festival in the pouring rain. Because we were artists but not scheduled to play till Sunday, no one who was working at the festival knew exactly where to direct us to park/tent/get our wrist bands. And this is where the horror began. We got stopped probably 37 times to show tickets and because of our special car pass, we kept getting allowed further into the festival. We were finally in, but not sure where to go, and we kept going in circles. And somehow, unfortunately, we got stuck in the Theatre and Circus area. They didn't want us there, and we didn't want to be there.

However, this sweet man on the right who worked there- we kept having to pass him and ask what to do. After the 4th time passing him, he told us we were the weirdest people he's ever seen at Glastonbury. Which I can tell you, is SAYING A LOT. We were getting desperate. As I am already not the most comfortable driver, i was making 3 point turns LEFT AND RIGHT. So many pedestrians. It was so bad. We were literally, LITERALLY stuck in the Theatre Circus area for some reason and could not get out. They wouldn't let us out because they didn't know how we got in. Finally we were talking to this one woman who was trying to be helpful. She said, hold on, let me get someone who can help, just park here. So we parked and waited, and she brought a man over. Guess who it was.?

Honestly, as the lady brought this same poor chap around to help us, and he realized that it was us -AGAIN-my hysteria translated into uncontrolable laughter. It was pee or cry at this point. And I kind of chose pee.

Finally, after 2 hours of driving around from the entrance, we convinced some person to let us through the Theatre and Circus gates, and all of a sudden, WE WERE THE ONLY CAR DRIVING THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE FESTIVAL. Swarms of drunk pedestrians, staring at us. The look of panic on the volunteers asking us how we got in there and what we were doing. That was definitely one of the best/worst moments of all weekend. SO HORRIFYING YOU REALLY CANNOT IMAGINE.

Somehow by the grace of god, and lots of convincing (here is Gerold in his trash bag/poncho working his magic, after he told me i wasn't being firm enough with people), we finally parked, and it was time to find a place to pitch the tent. We thought that since we were there before Friday that we were in a good situation.

We were very mistaken. I am dying laughing right now because Ryan had repeatedly mentioned, weeks before the festival, that he was concerned we wouldn't be able to sleep because he assumed that everyone at the festival would be having sex in the tents next to us. None of us have ever been to a festival before, so neither could calm down this fear. When we got there, and saw how closely the tents were packed, I could see the fear in his eyes as he imagined himself laying awake in his sleeping bag to the sounds of thousands of people tent sexing. I understand this fear completely. Also I am laughing because of this picture.

We then found the last tiny space and pitched our tent. There we were, in our tent, and finally settled, hungry, thirsty, and traumatized. We had brought vodka and lemons and mandarins so ryan started making us a vodka cocktail in a water bottle before we started exploring the festival. I never ever black out, and I don’t know if it was because we hadn’t eaten, or if it was because i had thousands of milligrams of antihistamines in my system, or perhaps bc of my period, or possibly just the litre of vodka I drank by accident, but the last thing I remember in the tent is Ryan telling Gerold to make sure to keep passing the bottle to me because I was taking too small of sips.

The next thing I really remember is this below scenario. We don't know who that person is, or why this is happening, but it's at this moment, I remember thinking,

06/19/2014

Those of you who saw my facebook post entitled "holy f*cking shit I'm petrified", know that in one week, the lollipops and I are playing Glastonbury festival. (Sunday, 2pm, Acoutstic Tent.) I don't know how this happened, and I am pretty sure I will be the least famous person there but we are all so so so so excited.

This is a picture that did not make the Lollipop announcement cut. I don't know why we have Gerold waving our flag, but it felt right at the time.

I can't express the amount of gratitude I feel, but I would like to get some of my anxieties out there and maybe we can work through this together. This portion of this blog entry is entitled

PART 1, MY PERIOD Sorry guys, but this is real. In one week, the LPs are flying in, and we are going to the hills of Glastonbury festival to pitch a tent and experience the festival first hand. (btw Gerold says he knows how to pitch a tent bc he was a boyscout. For those of you who don't know, Gerold is the one perched on Ryan's arm in this picture.) On saturday June 28th, we are driving 5 hours north to do support for Deacon Blue. After gig, we drive back 5 hours to Glastonbury. June 29th we will be performing at the biggest festival in the UK, and our first festival ever.

That weekend, I am also due to get my period.

The problems with that are as follows:

1) What happens before the period- rage, sadness, the feeling that everyone around me is sad, free flowing anxiety about the state of the world, and basically the overpowering thought that everyone I love will eventually die. These also happen to be my stage fright symptoms, so this is going to be a challenge.

2) The physical pain. Walking around with a bunch of sweaty people and also pitching a tent sounds so bad. SO BAD.

3) The bathroom situation at a festival ---- not ideal. not ideal for regular day, not ideal at all for a period.

4) You don't know exactly the moment it will begin. On stage? In the car? When I'm sitting on Ryan's lap? What do you mean why would i be sitting on Ryan's lap? This is Glastonbury.

Last week I googled things that you can do to make your period come sooner. Here's what I found:-Orgasms -Hot Baths-Jaggery Powder which i don't know what it is, but I ordered it online and am drinking it right now.

Also, i stumbled across this solution.

. Wait, Guest, so to be clear, you're saying you ate cinnamon rolls and then got your period the next day? Excuse me but along with my previous list, this week isn't looking too bad!

I would like to admit, that in a desperate moment of not wanting my period during G-bury, I thought about maybe quickly getting pregnant. But then I thought no because then I might have morning sickness at glastonbury, and also eventually the baby a few months after.

Ok so there's Part 1 of many anxieties. Was this my worst blog entry ever? Did I lose 3 out of my 5 readers? The pops and I will be tweeting all through the festival on twitter.com/GaliaArad so if you want to hear minute by minute updates about my period, watching Gerold pitch a tent, and us trying to meet Dolly Parton, you can follow us here.

WE ARE SOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!

Here's an old video of one of our brainstorming sessions. I'm only posting it for the first 50 seconds, the rest is so ridiculous, but I'm laughing hysterically and choking on my jaggery powder. WE LOVE YOU DOLLY!!

04/29/2014

Guys, it's my birthday and I left Dublin two weeks ago, and haven't had the time or heart to tell anyone.

Did you even notice I was gone on all my 547 social media accounts? (don't answer that, I have hard core *SMAD. (*social media anxiety disorder)

Here's the story: I moved to Dublin on Oct 16th, 2012. Despite every taxi driver's best guess, no, I did not move to Dublin for a man. I truly fell in love with the city, the music, and the *spirit. Looking back, I honestly don't know how I was able to pull the trigger on leaving everyone I Ioved, and a really good NYC life, for a city. But I did, because I felt like my music and I both needed it. And it turns out, we did.

As a musician in Dublin, the one thing i heard over and over, by Irish and English alike, is that in order to really get into music business (vs. creativity), the next move is London. I know there are exceptions to this, and I simply didn't want to hear it. London's size scares me (that's what she said) and I hate always being the least dapper person on the tube. Anyways.

At the time it started sinking in that at one point I'd have to leave Dublin, I got a random job interview through a friend, in a small town in the UK called Glastonbury.

A day after the interview, I got the job, and had to start my job, in Glastonbury, 4 DAYS LATER. Because it's closer to London, and I need a real salary to fund the record that's coming out in the next month or so (whole different can of worms), I said yes.

I don't remember much about those 4 days before Glastonbury. It was a lot of crying in my landlord's dog's body.

I've been supporting myself in Dublin by playing at bars and restaurants. Also by cd sales at the Jools Holland gigs (which seems crazy, but it's true-I just did my US taxes and had to figure out all my income.)Wait, i think I have a picture of my doing-taxes process that would make my nyc accountant cry. hi, Errol!!! (i am his most high maintenance client and the least profitable. he is the best.)

As you can see, I've really honed in on this process. It's really like a well oiled machine at this point. Yes that's an empty mug of wine. It's all a part of the process.

Ok- so what i'm saying is that going back to having a real job has definitely been an adjustment, but it's kind of been really nice to get back into, kind of surprisingly.

One problem is that I only have 1 friend here. Not exaggerating. But I've had no time to panic, because I've quickly had to relearn how to be that mediocre assistant i once was. (but with a great personality. boss, if you're reading this, i'm kidding, you have nothing worry about. )

But question: How do you make friends in a new city if your only friend doesn't have friends either? Do I even want friends? Next blog entry will be about this special and adorable town, where the cab drivers refuse to accept any tip, and where the air smells like a mix between manure and insense. For now, I have to go get drunk with my one friend. Also, she just gave me this for my birthday so I am feeling pretty hopeful and lucky:

It's a transition, but I am incredibly grateful.

Dublin is so amazing. I love it so much, and thinking about the fact that I left breaks my heart. It will always be special to me, and during my interview, i told my new boss that i became a woman there. "or maybe it was the eve of my 20th birthday." WHO WOULD EVER EVER HIRE ME.

Anyways, that's all. So emoshe, but trying to focus on what's keeping me away from everyone and everything at the moment, which is my really stressful life partner, music. Eye on the prize.

04/04/2014

At my gig this past weekend supporting Jools Holland in Brussels, at the wonderful, magical Ancienne Belgique, a stranger came up to me when I was signing cds with a large whiskey and ice. He explained that he had read my previous blog, and told me that I should not have to buy my own after the show.

--And that is when I decided that I need to be writing on this thing much, much more.

There are a few things I'd like to cover in this entry. First of all, do we all know I'm Belgian??? So performing in Brussels was the f*cking bomb? I have to say, it was one of the most fun gigs of my life. I know that the Belgians can be a very dark peoples, but I was ready to body surf this crowd. And speaking of my body weight smashing people, after the show I was on the hunt for Moules and Frites and Belgian beer.WELL, the next day, when I found a bunch of stolen packets of mayo in my bag and watched a full length video of me dancing braless *TO MY OWN MUSIC in the hotel room, i can tell you, I found the Belgian beer. (and frites) (don't worry, apparently i told the waitress about the stolen mayo before we left "it'sjustthebesti'veeverhad').Excuse me while i watch the video to see if there's even a snippet or still that's acceptable show you.

There's not, but here you go.

ok so that's Brussels. Amaze.

Oh: here's le intern eating a frite ... and from my perspective.

Then Intern and i headed to amsterdam via one mistake, three trains, and a cab. I've never been! It's amazing! Here's me eating the least convenient travel food ever on our way there.

Yes, there's an egg yolk on that thing, and yes it's being eaten on a train.

Ok so we get to Paradiso, which is such a beautiful venue, and here are things that stick out to me about this gig:

- When I got on stage to perform, my guitar didn't work. Sweetheart Clem, who is on the Jools crew, gave me the "try-plugging-in-your-guitar" gesture from the wings. This helped. In fact, it worked. I'm not exaggerating when I say the crowd actually laughed at me. I wanted to yell, "and i'm not even stoned!!" but I thought maybe the Amsterdammers are sick of 'Mericans coming in joking about being stoned. So instead I nervously stared at Clem for half of my first song.-When I walked off stage, instead of walking out the exit, I walked into a corner, where I had no where to go except back on stage. So I just stayed there. Clem had to COME GET ME from the corner and walk me to the actual exit, which meant I had to get back on stage. And I wasn't even stoned !!! This section is dedicated to my pal Clem Southgate.

-Before the show, I was told to make myself comfortable in any of the "communal" dressing rooms. Well I found a small one, changed, put my lashes on, drank a whiskey, ate the fruit, and cried my pre show tears in it. It felt like home! After my show, i rushed in to drop my guitar off in there before signing cds , when I saw Jools in there with a bunch of people from the band, and I gave him a handshake (I think i was somewhat normal, and was feeling pretty pleased with myself. I think the last time I saw him, I nervous-hugged him.) and as I walked away I heard a voice tell Jools "I think we're short dressing rooms today" . This didn't mean anything to me, until it slowly started to dawn on me, that, it was not in fact the band in there with Jools, those were Jools's friends. Which means,

It was Jools's dressing room.Not mine. Which also means he came into a dressing room with a half eaten fruit plate, and (many) empty packets of peanut butter, and now he knows why.

*Note: Jools is extremely gentle and kind,and didn't seem to care, but you can be sure that I'm still having anxiety about this today.

So this was a night full of blunders. But I still had a great time.

Intern and I stayed in Amsterdam for an extra day.This is my favorite cheese in the world, and Amsterdam had it's own store for it. This is truly my version of the red light district.

Speaking of red light district.

I CANNOT BELIEVE. I CANNOTBELIEVE. I honestly was in shock when intern and I went. I am so disturbed and sad and in shock about this. The women literally stand in little windows. There are rows of women. You can SEE A BED behind them. Am I the last to know that it's set up like this? I seriously felt guilty for being there and we left promptly. Are there documentaries on this?? Where do those women go after their work day is over? Do they have boyfriends or husbands? What is price based on? Who decides the price? I thought it was like everywhere else, where the prostitutes are among the non prostitues, But no, they are literally on display.

What else. Amsterdam is so beautiful. I didn't realize there were so many canals n' things. Also, everyone rides a bike. Also, everyone looks much cooler than me, and like they've really been around the block in life.

And for now, that is all.

I am so incredibly grateful for these experiences and for all the amazing people I've met.And to the sir who bought me the whiskey: you inspired me in just the right way!

01/10/2014

I am the worst blogger ever. And I forgot to make it one of my resolutions to be more consistant, so i guess we're screwed for another year. I'd like to discuss the most recent events, mostly so I can process through them myself.

Donegal, December 28th 2013

I had the honor of getting 3 support slots for the incredible, loveable, and brilliant Sharon Shannon and her special guests (Shane MacGowan, Mundy, Wallis Bird, and Tanya McCole). After primarily doing support for Jools Holland for the past years, I felt like I was a recent divorcee going on a first date. It was a very scary feeling to walk in and think- nobody here loves me yet.

But when my *intern and I arrived in Donegal, Sharon and her team COULD NOT BE MORE WONDERFUL. So warm, welcoming, everything you could want from people who don't love you yet. However. My heart sank when I saw the venue. A huge room with no seats, and two huge bars inside the venue. Right before I stepped on stage, Sharon's tour manager Ger, suggested that I tell the audience I was Shane MacGowan's niece. (I'm not, by the way.) John, Sharon's manager, mentioned that this audience was likely to swing on the chandeliers by the end of the night. They were protecting me, because everyone knew. Everyone knew i was totally f*cked. Well, I did it. And I wish I could tell you more but I don't remember it because I blocked out that half hour of my life forever. No one wants a support act that cries backstage, so instead I walked right into the main room, ordered a double whiskey from one of the bars, and cried into that.

Let me tell you the worst part of gigs like this. The selling of CDs. You HAVE TO TRY, OTHERWISE YOU FEEL SUCH GUILT. EVEN WHEN YOU KNOW YOU WILL SELL NONE. CAUSE WHAT IF YOU SELL ONE. I sold 4 cds at this show. So that paid for my 8 jameson/tears with ice.

After the show, a very drunk girl called me a bitch and the security guard of the venue tried to set me up with his son, so that's gig number 1, everyone.

*************************************

So. Night number two. In Derry. AND PRAISE THE LORD IT WAS A THEATRE, A THEATRE WHERE PEOPLE SIT IN CHAIRS. AND LISTEN AND LAUGH AND TALK BACK AND OH MY GOD HUMAN INTERACTION JUST FEELS SO GOOD. I am not sure if it was the low of the night before, but this was one of the best feelinged gigs of my life. I had such a good time and I sold a non-embarrassing amount of cds and my ego slowly inflated back to it's original oversized size.

We had some time before the final gig, when we explored Ireland. HOW CAN ANYONE GET OVER ANIMALS. They don't even need instagram filters cause they are so naturally adorbs!

The final gig was in Cork. When we googled and found out it was not a theater, I immediately started practicing different ways of subtly saying that Shane MacGowan was my uncle, and replaced every tender song on the set list with the fast slutty rock n roll ones.

We got to the venue during Sharon's soundcheck. It filled my heart with joy. At some point before the show, I saw Mundy playing his electric guitar by himself on dark stage when everyone was gone. Also filled my heart. Things might be ok. It was time for me to get on stage when the club was still empty, except for the top balcony. I remember seeing people making out up there. I did my songs the best I could and then I walked off. PS THE APPLAUSE HAD FADED by the time I unplugged my cable, and I HAD TO WALK OFF STAGE IN SILENCE. No, it wasn't the best feeling. But here's the bigger picture.

After that show, I met Sharon Shannon properly. What a shining, gentle, miraculous star she is. Someone who is truly in it for the music. And surrounds herself with the same kind of warm and loving people and musicians.

(Here is me being embarrassing when I met her. I don't know what I was saying or doing. OR WEARING.)

I am so grateful for all three of these gigs, even though 2 out of the 3 were painful. My mentor Ann Ruckert always says, if you're afraid to make a fool of yourself, you're in the wrong business. And boy is she fucking right. I am still learning how to take the hits with grace, because i know it will never end. And that's why it is imperative to surround yourself with the best kind of people, and musicians, like Sharon does.

Speaking of- I am always worried about having wine lips cause I think they are the worst. You know, when someone has a red wine stain on their lips. If you see me drinking red wine, and I'm constantly biting and licking my lips, I swear I'm not trying to be sexy, I am contstantly petrified of having wine lips. Well back at the hotel- on the night that I met Sharon Shannon- I noticed that I KIND OF MAYBE HAD wine lips, it was a little hard to tell bc i had bright red lipstick on as well, but I feel like it was there. This is when i LITERALLY made Tom (*intern) stand as tall as we thought Sharon Shannon was, while I shrieked

"Do you think she saw? DO YOU THINK SHE SAW". I made him test out a few different heights and angles. Poor Tom. I am such a maniac. So yes, Tom makes me feel like I am already surrounded by the right people. (Meanwhile Tom's thinking that he wishes he could say the same about me )

One more thing. Uncle Shane MacGowan and Joey Cashman. I am forever grateful to both of these guys. At the end of that first traumatic night, I stood in the audience while Shane performed one of my favorite songs of all time. I always think about a line from John Prine's song "Angel from Montgomery" when I'm sad about music.

"To believe in this living is just a hard way to go."

Yes it is, and then you hear Shane singing Dirty Old Town and suddenly everything makes sense.

Thanks for listening, reading, supporting, and dealing with me.

Love, Galia

PS I don't know how to remove this weird rectangle on the bottom of this page.

08/12/2013

It is hard to explain my level of anxiety for the weeks/days/seconds leading up to the Jools Holland/ Kew Gardens show that I was doing support for. Prep was basically millions of lists, excel spread sheets, and tears. Kew would be the largest audience I've had (7500 people) and first time outdoors, which made me feel like my game had to change a bit. I was lucky enough to get to work with the incredible Irish/Country band: The Good The Bad & the Ginger, but we only had a couple days to work together (for the first time), which made me bossier and more control freakish than I've ever been in my life. I'd say this caused me a lot of internal discomfort due to the fact that my general nature leans more towards the Scared To Ask a Waitress for a Clean Glass- end of the spectrum. Feel me?

So that said, here's the day of the show in a few pictures.

So unfortunately for me and for the Kew The Music crew, they popped into my dressing room just after one of my pre show cries (not exaggerating), and asked if I could run out quickly and do an interview that would be AIRED ON THE BIG SCREENS next to the stage before I went on. I had no make up on, and my hair, well, you can see for yourself. On the fucking big screen. Please click on the pictures for full affect and hair detail.

During the interview, he asked me why playing at Royal Albert Hall was so special to me. After rambling about it for a hundred minutes, I capped it off by saying,"You know why. I don't have to explain to you why."

So all in all, not a successful interview.

Here is sound check, which basically could have been called The Last Minute Bossing Session by Galia Arad.

Also next time remind me to not wear such a short dress to sound check or ever. Even this guard feels embarrassed, perhaps after seeing my entire vagina after I picked up a guitar cable or something.

So, I have a high maintenance lipstick that is smudge/kiss/sweat/spit/bullet proof but takes my complete and sober concentration to apply (and remove) it, because one false move, and you might as well call it a night. 9 minutes before we had to hit the stage, I somehow got a huge streak of it IN THE CORNER OF MY EYE. I must have blacked out with fear because I don't remember what happened next, but this picture was taken where you can actually see the fear and lipstick in my eye.

This next picture makes me laugh, because Andy is Jools's production manager, and literally has a thousand more important things to do than participate in group hugs, but there you go. He is my lucky charm.

Ok here's the audience.

and this is us going on stage. PS Look at Cherry's gorgeous perfect Barbie hair. It is real.

I thought I'd share this next pic because i think it's an interesting moment. What I didn't even consider is that the band would take longer to set up than me. So after I put my guitar on, I actually had about 15 seconds of waiting before the show started. I honestly felt like a dog about to be let out of it's crate- watching my owners get the leash, get their purse, finding their keys,etc. ---and meanwhile I'm desperately trying to calm myself down and get centered. and not pee on myself.

Ann Ruckert, if you are reading this. I want to let you know that that is not my water bottle. I didn't have a water bottle on stage.

this is from the audience point of view

Ok somehow on stage i forgot that there would be huge magnifying screens next the stage so for the entire time I was on stage, my mouth stopped creating saliva and in any moment I could, I'd frantically search for it, and thanks to the big screens, this lucky audience got to really be a part of that struggle with me-- and I had absolutely no idea.

So the show ended and I went back to the merch stand and the first thing I saw were lots and lots of children, who I've come to learn are 100% my key demographic. They wanted me to sign their dirty little adorable hands.

I made myself stay at the merch table till Jools's show was over, which yes- was wonderful, because I met so many kind, interesting, and generous people, but at the same time- I felt a little left out of everyone's fun. I missed Jools's show, I missed the jam session that my band had in the dressing room after, I missed the bottle of wine that i had on my RIDER. (YES MY FIRST REAL RIDER). And to be clear, I am not saying this to complain. AT ALL. I am grateful for every single moment. But I am saying it to show an honest picture. You feel all that power- that extreme surge -and suddenly there's no longer a venue (literally and figuratively speaking) to plug into, it's a very strange and lonely feeling. Plus the fear of never feeling it again. I am tearing up just writing about it.

The band kicked ass and I felt so supported on stage musically and emotionally, and I want to show you one last thing.

I was very stressed about bringing a band in because I didn't want to make more work for Jool's crew- it was a little complicated coordinating everything/everyone. We were all hanging out in the dressing room before sound check, and I was feeling so tense, when Buff (from Jools's crew) came in for a few minutes. I was so thankful for this perfect 20 second moment- though it seems small- it was like a weight lifted off of me and I remembered what the fucking point is. JOY

*Note: I feel embarrassed that on itunes the artwork looks like i did it at home and used some weird default font from 1985 because I couldn't figure out how to make changes on the program. Well, guess what.

** 9

oh PPS I am TOTALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY not obsessing about the fact someone "disliked" it on youtube. totally not at all. like, did not go through facebook and make a list of possibliities of who and why that person could have disliked- just basically didn't think twice about it, at all.

oh PPPS the Britney blog title: I love it because though it didn't make the cut for my last post (see end of last post), but it conveniently/miraculously worked perfectly this week. (THAT'S what they mean when they say god works in mysterious ways) Also, that song topic was pretty cutting edge at the time and i feel like no one gave Brit Brit props for that.